Improved marine car



UNITED STATES PATENT CE1-TCEo GEORGE H. YUNG, OF GHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED MARINE CAR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,660, dated July 24, 1866.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. YOUNG, of Charlestown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Marine Gar; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a sectional side elevation of this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the application, for the purposes of marine locomotion, of a system of articulated pontons or floats in the form of one or more endless belts, in combination with a suitable vessel, in such a manner that said pontons in themselves serve the double purpose of floats or buoys, and also of buckets or propellers, and thereby the resistance of the vessel moving in the water is greatly reduced.

A represents my car or vessel, which consists of an oblong hull 'or body with vertical sides, resembling` in its external form an ordinary railway-car, the entire design being in many respects analogous to a railway and car. This hull is provided at both ends with large polygonal or chain Wheels B, and along its top and bottom a number of small flanged wheels will be applied similar to ordinary railway-truck wheels.

The chain-wheels B are mounted on axles C, and over them is stretched an endless chain, B, composed of a large number of pontons or floats, which serve the double purpose of buoying up the car and of propelling the same .through the water.

against accident by collision and to afford room for Working ship.77 The car is also to be furnished with decks, stowage-room, staterooins, saloons, and all the details and appliauces pertaining to comfort and utility of a first-class river-steamer. It is to be steered by the ordinary rudder.

The great advantage of my marine car over ordinary means of propulsion will be apparent from the following observations: According to the common law of iiuid resistance, a body moving in water meets with a head or impact resistance,7 caused by the inertia of the particles of water, this resistance being in proportion to the square of the velocity of that body. Besides this head resistance there is or locking of the particles of water in the4 fibers, crevices, and inequalities of the immersed surface or skin77 of the vessel, thus creating lamin of dead water around the vessel. This skin resistance increases in a corresponding ratio with the head resistance, and the retarding effects of the skin resistance are generally assumed to be equal to the head resistance. Hence it follows that to overcome these two opposing influences it requires the expenditure of an immense amount of power, and in order to obtain an increase of the velocity of the vessel the power must be increased in proportion to the cube of the velocity. In steamers of the ordinary construction, therefore, very powerful and cumbersome machinery is required, and, furthermore, a large quantity of fuel must be carried, which materially reduce the carrying capacity oi' the vessel.

By my system of propulsion these disadvantages are avoided. I take advantage of but two properties of Water-viz., its buoyancy and its inertia-the buoyancy to sustain the weight of the car and cargo, and the inertia to secure the belt against slip, and thus effect locomotion.

In carrying out my principle the friction of the water against the sides of the vessel is entirely avoided, said vessel being sustained above the surface of the water by the buoyancy of the pontons, and the entire friction is reduced to that of the lubricated j ournal-surface of the various wheels and that occasioned at the moment of the immersion and emersion of the pontons, which is so trifling as to conne scarcely in consideration. Furthermore, the pontons are made to enter and leave the water at such an angle as is favorable to the progress of the car, thus obviating impact resist ance and utilizing the power that would be otherwise expended in overcoming it. For all these reasons it may reasonably be expected that by my system of marine travel safe railway speeds may be attained on water at an expense of less than one-third of the power now employed in navigating` boats at an average speed of twelve knots per hour. Besides this, my marine car has the following advan tages:

First, it is eminently suited to canal travel,

- as the same causes no disturbance in the water,

and consequently does not endanger the banks. My car can also be made to ascend an inclined plane in less time than it takes to raise an ordinary canalboat by means of locks.

Second, the internal capacity of my car is greaterin proportion than that of an ordinary vessel on account of its rectangular shape.

Third, all the occupied part-s of my car are above the Water-line, thus preventing dampne'ss and admitting light to all parts, and permitting a free circulation of air, rendering it at once comfortable and healthy.

Fourth, it is adapted to the navigation of shallow rivers, no inconvenience being expericnced by stranding, as the car, when the po11- tons are made strong enough, will almost as readily travel over the muddy bottoni of a river as on the surface of the water.

For lake and coasting cars a center-board will be applied to increase lateral resistance and diminish leeways. With two endless belts the turning of the ear is facilitated.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The articulated pontons or floats arranged in the form of one or more endless aprons, and traveling over suitable drums, in combination with the car A, constructed and operating su bstantially as and for the purpose described.

GEORGE H. YOUNG. l/Vitnesses J. B. LooMrs, GEO. W. GOLBY. 

